Dr Paul Allen

SUMMARY: 1.  The  imperfect tense  in  ἐδίδου  ("was giving") shows that the Holy Spirit’s influence was  continuous , not delayed,  fulfilling Jesus' promise  of lasting spiritual  power  in Acts 1:8. Therefore,  Acts 2:4 reads  "As the Spirit was continuously giving, kept giving again and again for them to speak out."  (or as the NIV " as the Spirit gave them utterance.") 2.  Acts 2:4   illustrates the "ablative of source" concept: "they were filled from the Spirit as the source." From out of the source of the Holy Spirit came ongoing, continuous languages, again and again, with no hesitation. Fifteen untaught but known languages simultaneously declaring Christ at the same time by people who were overwhelmed, overflowing, submerged, and totally dominated by the Holy Spirit, who was continually giving. First Explanation of Edidou. "The continuing influence of the Holy Spirit is seen in the imperfect tense in 'ed...

The Context on the Day of Pentecost was: Speaking in tongues to multiple nations. The focus has nothing to do with the phrase "as the Spirit gave them utterance."  To place a weighty meaning upon these words, such as I prayed for a person to receive the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, but the Holy Spirit provided no initial evidence of tongue-speaking; therefore, the Spirit didn't give utterance, but may do so tomorrow, ignores the both context and purpose of Acts 2. What the apostles needed, at this point in their history, was not moral courage or devoutness of spirit; for they had already recovered from the alarm produced by the crucifixion and were now boldly entering the temple together every day and spending their whole time in devout worship.  Their defects were such that no degree of courage or of piety could supply. It was power that they wanted—power to remember all that Jesus had taught them; to understand the whole meaning of all his words; of his death; of his res...